Our Paths will cross again
by MissyEvil
Summary: AU! This follows Emma's and Regina's lives from the moment they meet and how faith seems to find a way to get them together again every time. From Emma's POV. WILL BE UPDATED SOON.
1. The Mills family

**OOOOOPPPSS shouldn't be writiting two new stories at the same time but this idea just popped into my head and I had to write it and i'm gonna really try to update two stories but it will be harder. Maybe you guys don't even like this idea haha.. okay yeah. **

**anyway, it will mainly show Emma and Regina through certain points in their life and how their relationship develop.**

**Let me know what you think and I know this one is short but others will be longer. **

**Hope you enjoy, **

**xx**

* * *

When I first met Regina I was seven years old and she was eleven. I was very little but I remember it like yesterday.  
I was in the foster system back then. I was a small girl and my short blonde hair and blue eyes made me seem cute, but I quickly learned that if you want to survive here, you have to be tough and not let other people think they can be the boss of you.

"Emmaaaaaa" someone near my ear screamed as I covered them with both my hands. "Emmaaaa kissed a boy, Emmaaa is in love" The girl next to me screamed.

Her name was Alice and I had known her for about two months now. I was pretty new to this foster center, just came from another family. Things had been rough since I was moved from my original family at the age of three. Now I was going from one family to the other, always in one family for only a couple of days or weeks. It was a different form of foster care and I didn't like it one bit. I just wanted a mom and dad. Was that really too much to ask for?

"Emma!" Alice said again as she harshly pulled away the hands from ears. She was older than me so she didn't need much strength to do so.

"What was it like?" The blonde girl asked as she looked down at me. "Was he good?"

I shook my head no and she frowned. "But the others say he's a really good kisser, you must be really bad at it." She said as she placed her hands on her hips, indicating that she was right. Alice could be real mean sometimes.

At that point Rick entered when he caught me he smiled. "Hey Emma." He said as he walked over to me.

Alice clapped her hands. "Kiss again. Kiss again. I want to see it." I immediately walked backwards. "I don't want to do it again."

Rick only stepped closer to me again. "Aww, you didn't like it, did you Emma?" again I shook my head no.

I didn't really know much about Rick. Only that his name was Rick and he was thirteen. He had been in the foster house for over two years without ever leaving I didn't really know why people didn't want him back then but I knew he had some problems with anger control. Rick told me that it was normal to kiss, that people did it every day and that he had kissed all the girls in the foster house. So I told him okay. But I had no idea how to kiss and when he told me that I was really bad at it I ran away crying. Not because he said I was bad at it but because I didn't want this. I never wanted to kiss a boy again.

He now stepped up to me and looked really angry. "Well than that's your problem because we are going to kiss again." He moved towards to me really fast and the only thing I had learned to do in my time in the foster homes was punch. So I did. I punched him really hard and he fell to the floor.

"You bitch!" he screamed as he was getting up again.

"Shut up!" I screamed now as the tears started to prick in my eyes.

"Watch your language, Emma!" The boss of the house said as she walked closer to the three of us. She eyed us over briefly, I was crying and Rick still seemed to be in intense pain. Alice just pulled a sad face like she was the victim of all of this. It annoyed me. But the boss didn't seem to care about whatever it was that was going on, she pretended that it was nothing.

"Yes Miss Johnson" I said while I looked down onto the floor.

The bell rang and we all rushed towards the main room. We knew that if the bell rang we all had to stand there, acting all sweet (even Rick) because it could mean that someone would take us, that we could get away from this hell. But this time we were stopped by the boss (we used to call her that).

"No. Not today. Emma, come with me." I raised one of my eyebrows but followed Miss Johnson anyways. Everything was better than staying with Alice, Rick and the other children.

Before Miss Johnson opened the door she looked down at me. "You are going with this family for a week. Then you'll be placed in another foster home in Maine."

I had no idea where Maine was so I just nodded.

Next thing I know the door was pulled open and a family walked in. There were a mother and a father but as far as I could see, no other children. I frowned, I always liked it when there were other kids too, that meant I got to play with them too. Then the mother looked behind her and smiled.

"Don't be so shy sweetheart, come on." The mother turned around and pushed a small girl in front of her.

Unfortunately she didn't even look at me, she just looked at the ground in boredom.

The mother smiled at me and held out her hand which I shook. "My name is Cora." She said and then she pointed at her husband. "And this is Henry." She then looked down at her daughter. "Come on sweetheart."

The girl finally looked up to stare at me. I beamed up at her, the girl had long beautiful dark curls and her eyes were brown. I remeber thinking that she looked pretty. Unfortunately, she didn't smile back at me, but I was so excited to go with this family, even if this girl wasn't so happy with it. The parents seemed really nice and I really wanted a new adventure.

"I'm Regina and I'm eleven." She finally said.

"I'm Emma and I'm seven." I told her to which she shrugged.

Cora watched up interact quite awkwardly, then she shook hands with Miss Johnson as I went to grab the little amount of stuff I had. When I returned she placed a hand on my shoulder to guide me to their car.

"So, are you excited to stay with us for a little while?" I nodded and smiled. I really was.

"I'm glad dear. So are we, aren't we Regina?" The little girl didn't say anything, but instead got into the car.

* * *

After a day or two Regina finally started talking to me. Her parents were nice, they were good to me and I had fun but Regina and I didn't seem to get along. She always ignored me and she never wanted to play games with me. I was upset about it because I liked to play games. But at a certain afternoon Cora and Henry had gone shopping for a little while which left us alone at home.

"Regina…" I said as I slowly walked up to her. She was drawing something on a kitchen stool and didn't look up when I said her name, she just continued coloring.

I held up a box and slightly shook it, which caught her attention. "Do you want to play a game with me?" She stared down at me and got of the chair. She stood in front of me, really close I remember because it scared me.

"Why don't you have a mom and dad?" She asked me.

"Because they couldn't take care of me and they gave me to other mom's and dad's who could." I said on a tone that made clear that I had said this a million times.

"But then why are you with my mom and dad? They are mine, not yours. I don't like sharing." Regina said as she placed her hands on her hips, suddenly looking much older than eleven.

I remember being startled by that. She seemed so nice, but then why was she acting like this.

"They are just taking care of me for a week. And then I go and find my mom and dad." I said bravely as I stared up at her, suddenly insecure and scared.

"Does nobody want you? It's that why you haven't find them yet?" She said angrily and confident she then pushed me.

"Don't push me!" I screamed and I pushed her back. It was all I was ever taught in those foster homes, if someone pushes or hits you, give them the same.

Regina looked surprised and even more angry that I had pushed her so she pushed me again, with more force this time so I fell backwards on the ground. I felt the tears in my eyes from the pain but stayed strong.

"Why don't you like having me here?" I asked her.

"Because you are stealing my mom and dad!" Regina screamed as she took a step backwards from me. She was crying at this point.

"I don't want to steal your mom and dad." I explained to her but she didn't seem to believe me. Instead she just pushed me one more time.

"I don't want you here anymore, nobody wants you, Emma." She hissed through her teeth. At the same moment the doors to the living room opened and she returned to her drawing leaving me on the ground, crying.

"What happened?" Cora asked as she kneeled down beside me.

"She pushed me!" I said while pointing towards Regina. "She… she doesn't want.. me here" I stammered between my sobbing. Cora now looked towards her own daughter.

"Regina?" She asked warningly but the little girl shrugged.

"She's stealing you from me!" The brunette girl said as she got down from her stool and hugged her own mother.

Cora sighed and looked at her husband, who had clearly no idea what to do with the situation. "I don't think this is working."

* * *

The next day they brought me to the foster house in Maine. I cried on the ride there but since I was staring out of the window they didn't notice. Cora tried to have a conversation with me but I only made some sounds as an answer so she stopped after a while. Regina had come too but she was on the other side of the car, also staring out of the window.

"So… here we are." Henry said as we all stepped out of the car and took my bag towards the entrance where there was already someone waiting for me.

"Emma Swan. Welcome." The friendly woman said as she took my hand but I pulled it back and turned around to stare at the family I had for only two days.

"Thank you." I said politely.

Cora smiled at me and stroked my cheek. Henry just gave me a handshake. I then looked up at Regina. "Goodbye."

Like the day of our meeting she didn't look at me, she just shrugged.

"Whatever."

And that's how I met Regina Mills.

* * *

**soo.. what did you think? **


	2. Sophie's party

**Heyyyy so here is the second chapter! **

**All grammer mistakes are mine, srry for that but i'm just too lazy to correct them haha **

**Hope you enjoy, **

**xx**

* * *

The second time I saw Regina, I was twelve and she was sixteen. By this time I lived in a foster home in Maine and I was happy with staying here for as long as needed. I found myself thinking of those two days I had had with Regina often but that was only because I once again had an older sister, at least that's what I kept telling myself. My foster sister was the same age as Regina would be now and she was pretty cool. Sure, we fought sometimes but it wasn't like it had been with Regina. She respected me and she didn't think that I was stealing her parents. Or maybe she just loved sharing.

"Emma come down please we need to talk about something." I sighed deeply as I heard Molly yell from downstairs. I had finally managed to do some homework and wasn't looking forward to a conversation with them because I knew I would have trouble concentrating afterwards.

"On my way." I said after she called for me once again.

I found them all around the kitchen table, clearly just chatting about their days. They did that a lot and sometimes I would join them, but I wasn't really someone who liked to talk about everything that happened during my days.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sat down next to my foster sister Sophie. Molly pointed towards her.

"Sophie is going to a party next weekend and we have one too at McCallister's house so we were thinking of calling a baby sitter but she has plans so-"

I cut my foster mother off, I knew the drill I would come with them to this boring party. "So I'm coming with you guys.." I said sadly but to my surprise my foster mother shook her head.

"Sophie actually said that you could come with her."

"Really?" I asked with my eyebrows raised. She never asked me to come along to any of her parties so I was pretty excited that I finally could come along to one of them.

Sophie only nodded before answering me. "Yeah it should be fun, I haven't seen most of them in a really long time."

We chatted some more before I left the kitchen and went back to my homework, completely missing the conversation that went on in the kitchen.

"You really sure that this is a good idea? You do realize she's gonna be there." Sophie asked her mother.

Molly looked at her daughter and husband and then shook her head. "Emma, she.." there was a pause as she thought over how she was going to say this "she thinks that she has processed everything but something happened those two days she was with the Mills family. I have only heard the stories but she made some kind of connection with Regina"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Connection.." she sounded disapproving, "you could say it like that."

Her father talked this time. "Sophie." He said warningly with a stare towards his daughter.

"Anyway.." Molly said, breaking the tension in the air.

The woman was good at that, breaking tension. Molly's grey hair and blue eyes made her seem friendly and she had this vibe around her, you couldn't really describe it but people would feel calmer and safe whenever she walked in the room. It had been that special thing, about a year ago, that made Emma feel like she was finally home here. Frank was nice too but he kept more quiet and let his wife do most of the talking. He was good to me but we didn't talk that much, and we both thought it was better that way.

"Like I said, Emma has something with Regina and I think that in order for her to move on she just needs to see her again." Molly said, still absolutely certain about her plan.

Sophie slowly shook her head, she believed her mother but she still had some doubts about this plan. "But it could also make things worse."

Finally her dad said something subject related too. "We just have to hope it won't."

* * *

Two days later I was in my room, putting my shoes on. "You almost ready?" Sophie asked me. I looked in my mirror to see her reflection. She was wearing a dress and a lot of make-up.

"You look nice." I said before turning around and watching her smile.

"Thanks. You look pretty good too." She said, frowning a bit.

I was wearing regular jeans and a new shirt that I had gotten last week. My hair was down and it reached just above my shoulder, curling in a playful way. I looked almost like I always did but then again I hadn't really reached the point in my life yet where I would have an obsession with make-up and clothes.

"Thank you." I said before I turned around to look at myself once again. I wasn't really sure if this was good enough for the party.

Sophie apparently sensed it and stepped up closer to me. "Here. Let me do something."

I nodded as I watched surprised what she was getting from her tiny backpack. She pulled out a black object and after opening it, brought it closer to my eyes. I looked at it suspiciously to which she chuckled.

"Relax, it's just mascara. Don't blink." She said as she applied the make-up to my eyes.

After about five minutes of hell and a lot of blinking she was finally done. "Much better." Sophie said with a huge smile.

* * *

"You have a lot of friends." I said as I looked around the room. I felt slightly uncomfortable when I saw how many people were actually there and I didn't know any of them, well except for my foster sister.

Sophie laughed. "Don't worry, even I don't know all of them."

Suddenly we heard a woman screaming as she ran towards us. "SOPHIEEE" She said as she hugged my foster sister. I could smell the alcohol around her (I had my fair share of foster families where they drank too much alcohol) and wrinkled my nose. I hated that smell.

"Heyyy Chloe!" My foster sister said as she pulled backwards from the hug. "How are you? I haven't seen you for ages."

The other girl didn't answer but instead just looked at me. Sophie put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and pulled me a bit towards her as someone was trying to get past me. "This is my friend, Emma." When she said it I felt the other person behind me turning and then before I knew it I felt the warmth disappearing. But I ignored it and stared at my sister instead. I was surprised that she called me my sister but she probably didn't want to do the whole foster talk though. People could ask questions about it the entire evening. "But then how long does she stay? Do you like it? How long has she lived with your family? What happened to her family?" They tried to ignore these conversations.

"Hi." I said as I held out my hand for her to shook but she pulled me in for a hug. I was startled but hugged her back. I wasn't really a hugger but also realized that Chloe was pretty drunk so there was no point in pushing her away.

After that Sophie and I went to the drinks table to get something but unfortunately there was only alcohol so Sophie pointed towards the kitchen while she grabbed a beer for herself and started talking with one of her best friends, who I did know, Madison. She came by our house pretty often. I liked her, Madison was friendly and we talked sometimes, I feel like she could have been my friend if she was younger.

When I got closer to the kitchen I could hear people talking, the music was very loud so it was hard to understand everything but I could make out most of the conversation.

"Are you sure?" A guy said and then there was a silence before he spoke again. "I could be someone else you know. It's been five years." Suddenly a girl spoke up, she talked softer so I wasn't sure of what she was saying. "Steve… sure…. It was.." That's all I got from the conversation before I actually entered and both people were immediately quiet. I didn't look at them when I got my drink and I didn't look at them when I walked away again. I didn't want to disturb their privacy because maybe they were having a fight.

I also missed the "That was definitely Emma!" When I left with my coke.

* * *

Two hours later I was getting tired. I had found some people who were my age so I chatted with them. They were nice but not really the kind of people I would normally hang out with so besides all being at this party we didn't have much in common. I excused myself to go to the bathroom but when I quickly turned around on my heels I bumped into someone else and felt liquid wet my new shirt.

"Damnit" someone muttered which caused me to look up at to the other person's eyes. A very familiar set of eyes.

I gasped immediately when my eyes met the brown orbs. I would recognize them anytime, those beautiful dark eyes that held so much emotion. I noticed it, even at my young age.

"Regina.." I stammered as I stared at her. She looked so much older, she was of course but she had changed so much more than I had in those couple of years. She had grown forms, actual female forms and she wasn't a girl anymore, she was a woman. She also was wearing a dress, a red one to be precise and it looked absolutely stunning - even with the now wet stain on it - especially matched with the red lipstick that was on her lips. I realized that I was staring and quickly looked up at her face, wondering why I was so interested in her body.

She opened her mouth to say something but someone else interrupted. A boy. Yes I called him a boy because he was one. He looked so young and irresponsible. I looked from Regina to the boy before she finally said something.

"Steve.. this is uhm.. this is Emma." She spoke to the boy but kept her gaze at me, which made me feel uncomfortable and more aware of my own not so impressive looks. Not that I had to look good around her but being a twelve year old it was hard not to feel insecure sometimes, even for Emma Swan.

"Emma.." Regina started again, snapping me back to reality, "this is Steve, my boyfriend." She said while she pointed at the boy.

I didn't realize at that moment why I felt disappointed but I just did. I only nodded to the both of them before excusing myself and quickly turning away in shock.

I scanned the room for my foster sister but couldn't find her. I did notice Madison and Chloe so I walked over to them instead.

"Emmaaaa" Madison said and I groaned when she hugged me. I really just wanted to get away from this party and all these people who were stuffed with alcohol weren't really doing anything good for my mood. I felt the tears in my eyes and I did my best to push them back. I roughly pulled myself back from the hug.

"Have you seen my sister?" I asked Madison and she laughed drunkenly before pointing towards the stairs. I frowned and opened my mouth to ask why on earth she would be upstairs but I walked towards it anyway, not responding to Regina's "Emma, don't." as I walked past her once again, meanwhile pushing the arm away that was coming towards me.

I knocked on the first door I saw and then pushed it open.

"Sophie, let's-" I started but I closed my mouth immediately when I noticed my foster sister kissing a boy on top of the bed. I placed my hand in front of my mouth and turned around on my heels as fast as I could. This evening couldn't possibly get worse.

"Emma!" I heard Sophie scream as I shut the door. The tears were now streaming down my face and I wasn't even trying to hide them anymore, everyone here was making out or drunk anyway so it didn't really matter.

I looked down at my own feet as I quickly ran down the stairs, straight into someone's arms. I let the arms close around me and for once in my life I didn't resist. I had no idea who this person was but I was too upset to even care and somehow this hug felt right, it never did but this felt really good. So I leaned into the other person a bit more while I was slowly moved to a somewhat more quiet area. The other person now held my hand but I still refused to look up. Somewhere on our way I realized it was Regina. I don't know how I knew that, I just did.

She squeezed my hand one more time before letting me go and sitting next to me on the swing outside.

"Are you okay?" She asked me and I shrugged.

"What happened?" Regina asked me to which I shrugged again, I kept looking straight forward, still refusing to look at her, knowing it would make me angry. All these hormones were messing with me and everything that had just happened in the last ten minutes sure weren't doing them any good. My mood had shifted again.

"Emma, come on." The brunette pushed as she inched closer to me, but I responded by only moving further away from her to which she sighed heavily.

"Fine." She said and she kept quiet but didn't move away.

I really wanted her to leave at that moment. I was in no mood for this and I was mad at everyone. At Regina for .. well I had always been mad at her since that day she pushed me, I don't think it really was about the push I think it was just the feeling of rejection. I had been rejected before but never like this, never right in my face, physically rejected by someone. I was also mad at everyone inside there for being drunk, at Steve for being her boyfriend which was an anger I still didn't get, and at Sophie for bringing me to this party and kissing this boy. She left me there on my own.

Steve suddenly pushed the doors open and stumbled outside, while holding a beer in his hand. Great, another drunk person.

"There you are!" He said as he sat down too, instantly draping an arm around Regina and kissing her cheek. She sighed in frustration and pushed his arm away from around her shoulder.

"Not now." She murmured, hard enough for me to hear.

"No, go on, I'm going anyway" I said as I stood up and moved towards the car, I could wait here for Sophie.

I rushed towards it and heard footsteps quickly following me. I rolled my eyes and turned around while leaning against the car. I probably looked pretty confident like this, though I felt open and vulnerable.

"Emma, stay." Regina said as she moved towards me.

"Or what?" I asked angrily. "You'll push me to the ground so that I have no choice."

Regina's mouth dropped open and her eyes narrowed. I saw the concern and care leave her eyes and the anger that I had seen in them all those years ago came back. That was the Regina that I knew, the Regina that haunted my dreams and days, the one I couldn't stop thinking about. A shiver went through my body.

"Goodbye Emma." She hissed through her teeth before quickly moving away from me, clearly realizing that this was never going to work out. We just had to stay away from each other.

"Goodbye Regina." I answered.

The good thing was that it did feel like I could finally close up this chapter, it somehow felt like I finally managed to say the goodbye that I hadn't all those years ago.

Not long after our goodbye Sophie came and we drove home, we didn't say anything to each other I just kept staring out of the window.

That was the second time I saw Regina. At that point I was sure that I would never see her again, and I had no trouble with that.

* * *

**sooo what did you think?**


	3. Molly

**sorryyy guys short chapter! Hope you still like it!**

**btw I just wanna mention that I have a foster sister of my own (I'm the foster family) so I do understand what it's all like from experience and how it feels and stuff but I don't really know how it works with all the homes and replacements and stuff so all mistakes are mine there. Srry for that. **

**xx**

* * *

Of course I was wrong. I saw her again when I was fifteen and she was nineteen. A day I will probably remember forever, in all kinds of ways.

"You understand what is going to happen after this, Miss Stevens. " The person on the other side of the table said to me.

"Swan." I corrected him.

"You do know that..- "

I interrupted the poor man again while I stared at him. "I know. But can I?"

"Not until you're eighteen." He said to me to which I rolled me eyes and stared down at my hands again.

We were quiet while he grabbed some files from his fancy suitcase. I took the time to look around the room. I have been here before, they use different ones but this one I had already seen. The curtains were still grey and it was still as empty as it had been five years ago. Back then I had figured that they weren't done with it yet but now I realized that it was just meant to be this boring. The radiator in the back made an annoying zooming noise, I didn't understand how these people could be in this room the entire day.

"Miss Stevens." The man said, snapping me out of my thought. I hadn't taken the effort to memorize his name but luckily the nametag on his suit said: Jack Smith, Replacement Manager. I had heard of him for others, he was supposed to be really good at his job. Not that I cared right now.

I realized he was talking and forced myself to pay attention again.

"You will hear from us within a week. If there is an emergency you can call me at this number." He smiled apologetically at me before handing me a card. It was just as boring as this room. Plain white, only showing his number and name. I took my bag and put it inside, immediately standing up afterwards.

"Thank you." I said though I didn't really mean it. He smiled at me again and shook my hand. "I'm sorry." I shrugged and left the room.

* * *

The upcoming Thursday I was standing in my room when Sophie entered.

"Hey." I said softly to her as I applied make up on my face. I had finally learned how it worked and started to regularly wear it, knowing I looked great with it. I still didn't wear as much as my foster sister did but it was better than three years ago.

"Hi." Sophie replied softly as she stepped up to me and grabbed a comb to brush through my long curly hair. I decided on letting it grow and even though it tangled up a lot, it looked better, more suiting to my age. Sophie, on the other hand, had cut her brown straight hair till above her shoulder. She had grown a lot in the last years. Not in height, she had just become so mature. It was like something had just switched inside her after that party three years ago. Apparently she had been sneaking out with that guy for quite a while and she wasn't that happy about it. Besides that she felt totally ashamed of being tipsy and driving and leaving her little foster sister alone on that party.

"You look good." Sophie said as she stared at me. It seemed like any normal day but the atmosphere and slightly red eyes of Sophie reminded me of the situation.

"Girls come down please." Frank yelled from downstairs. "I need to talk to you.''

Sophie shared a sweet smile with me before she placed an arm around me and we made our way downstairs.

When we entered the kitchen the tension was even worse. Sophie gave her father a death glare while I didn't even look at him at all. Frank himself just looked devastated.

"Emma dear, listen. I know you don't want to talk about it but we have to." I shrugged and crossed my arms. He sighed deeply and drank from his coffee, clearly also very tired.

"I love you like you're my own daughter but with you and Sophie….. it's going to be too much. I can't take care of the two of you alone now that Molly is-"

Sophie stepped closer and cut her dad off, surprising me with how harsh her voice was. "Don't say it."

Her father stared back at her the same way while I watched the two of them. Like father like daughter right?

"Now that your mother is dead." He spoke to her, his tone firm and his eyes fixed at hers. It was clear that Sophie tried to hold the stare, tried to stay strong but when the words left her father's mouth you could see the true emotion shine through her perfect features. The pain.

I don't know why but I started crying at that point. I had cried a lot over the last few weeks, after Molly's sudden death due to a horrible traffic accident but this time I didn't even feel it coming. I realized I was crying when I felt the drops land on my hand and I looked down, surprised that they were coming from me.

Frank looked back at me when Sophie finally sat down.

"Did you already meet with the manager?" He asked me. I nodded.

"Last week."

"Good." He said while nodding, though he wasn't really happy with it. "Well.. we'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

I replied with a simple yeah, we were both happy to push the subject away.

Sophie looked at the clock. "We should go. It's a long drive to the church."

* * *

About thirty minutes into the service I was scheduled to do the eulogy. I knew what I wanted to say but realized that with my emotions going all around the place this was going to make it really hard. Sophie nodded at me when she left the podium and rubbed my shoulder. It was comforting.

I cleared my throat and took a deep shuddering breath. I had never been at a funeral before and it surprised me how many people were here. Of course I couldn't tell if that was normal or not but it seemed like a lot of people. My eyes scanned the crowd and then suddenly my mouth dropped open.

There she was. Regina.

And Cora and Henry.

They were all there. Smiling slightly at me through their tears. What I noticed too was that Steve was also there, his arm around Regina but she continued to shift away from it, which I found odd.

I should have known that they would be here, Molly was loved all around and also she and Cora were old friends, which is the reason why Regina had been distant friends with Sophie too.

"Uhhh.." I stammered, my eyes still fixed at Regina. It suddenly felt like I needed her. I didn't hate her for being there. I was surprised but I somehow felt like a wave of warm energy was coming my way. She nodded at me and I looked at everyone else again, the block in my throat disappeared and I felt like I could speak again.

"Molly always said "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world, remains and is immortal." I stayed quiet as I looked to see some people smile, recognizing the quote. I took another deep sigh and went on, searching Regina's eyes again.

"I never understood what she meant by that. Not really. But now, now I see." My eyes stayed on Regina's the whole time.

"Without her, I don't know where I would have been now or what I would have become. Molly made me who I am today, and that remains and will remain for as long as I am alive. I couldn't thank her enough for that. And though I have no idea where me life will go from this, how I am going to live with the pain, how _we_ are all going to live with the pain-" I corrected myself as I looked down before looking again at Regina who was crying now – "I know that we will. Grief comes in all kinds of forms. We can't control it. There will be days where it will hurt so much that we think we can't breathe, but then we just have to find a way to live with the pain. It won't go away. We'll learn how to live with it. I think that the best thing we can do is to stay together. Molly left us pieces of her in each and every one of us, that was her gift and that's exactly what she tried to tell me for all these years."

I stopped and some people applauded me while I went back to my seat, finally letting the tears stream down my face. "That was beautiful." Some people whispered as I sat down again.

The service lasted for another twenty minutes. I excused myself from my foster family relatively soon after that. Sophie said it was okay, probably because she knew where I was going. I walked closer up to the Mills family but stopped in my tracks. I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk to Cora and Henry. It would be too awkward. And I definitely didn't want to talk to Steve. Luckily Regina was pointing towards a room in the back. I followed quickly.

"You really spoke from your heart." She said as we stood there in the silence. I nodded and smiled, wiping some tears from my cheeks that still lingered there.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked me.

"Yeah." I only responded before sighing deeply and opening my mouth again. "Thank you." I said. It was hard to get it out of mouth but I managed.

"For what?" She asked me, one eyebrow raised.

I thought that she was pretending that she didn't know but when I noticed the actual surprised look it seemed like she really wasn't aware of how much I had needed that smile during my speech.

"I couldn't have done it without you." I admitted softly while I looked down at my feet.

Regina apparently didn't know what to say so she started a lighter topic. "I hear you had your birthday a couple of weeks ago. Fifteen already huh?" She smiled.

I nodded. "Yeah."

There was another uncomfortable silence. "How are things with Steve?" I watched her face at this point, wanting to read the reaction. I was not surprised when I noticed the slightly hurtful look in her eyes when I mentioned his name. My eyes stared deep down into hers. It was like she sensed I was reading them because she turned away from me when I wanted to speak again.

"Great. We're actually going to college in two weeks, together." Regina said as she placed a fake smile on her face. Her hands were fidgeting with her black dress but I don't think she noticed.

I smiled broadly at her, wondering if she could read me as well as I could read her and see that it was forced. "That's great! Where?"

Her smile faded. "Boston."

My mouth dropped open. "That's pretty far."

Regina shrugged. Suddenly the door was pushed open and Frank looked at the both of us. "Sorry to disturb but we need you Emma." I nodded and turned to Regina again. "Well then.. good luck… I guess…. maybe I'll see you again in a few years." Regina smiled softly at me.

"Yeah.. maybe."

I remember crying that entire evening. About everything, moving out, an uncertain future, Molly's death but also about the fact that Regina was going to Boston. I had no idea why but it didn't feel right.

* * *

** i know i know short.. but I promise the next one will be longer :)**


	4. Boston University Party

**wooohooo finally a longer chapter! that was about time. I think this one is pretty good, though I do feel a bit uncertain about my grammer and I later on changed some things so I hope that there are no mistakes.. hihi oops. **

**Well I haven't said this before I think but anyways:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or these awesome characters.. unfortunately XD**

**Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the reviews so far, I love hearing your opinions. **

**xx**

* * *

It was a only a year later when I saw Regina again. I was sixteen and she was twenty. This time I knew I was probably going to see her and I felt nervous but excited. We hadn't heard from each other in that one year, because we never exchanged anything. No phone number, nothing. But I had kept thinking about her, wondering how she was doing. I just hoped she was doing better than I was.

I was partying a lot. Maybe a bit too much. I was a lot wilder than Sophie was all those years ago at that party that I'd rather not think about. I had stopped hating alcohol but was still careful with it. Of course because it was illegal but also because I didn't trust myself with it. I knew what could happen if you went that far and I never ever wanted that. My home situation was nothing like it had been with the Swan family. I had insisted on keeping that name, because I loved them and I wanted something to remind me of them forever. They were the only people that ever made me feel like a family so it would be logical for me to keep their family name. Unfortunately that wasn't happening till I was eighteen. Unfortunately for me. I now lived with families for only one or two weeks tops, they all wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. I wasn't that bad, I was just messed up and broken I guess. I didn't really talk that much, only to the few friends I had, though they weren't real friends.

But tonight I was going to Boston University for an introduction evening. I had to go in and listen to some person giving me a lecture about how awesome their University is. I didn't want to listen to that but I also knew there was going to be a party afterwards. One of my friends had asked me if I was going. First I really didn't want to. I had school the next day and my grades were already bad and if I wanted to go to college next year I really had to start to do something. I had been a smart kid and skipped some classes but now things were harder since I wasn't putting in the effort anymore. My friend had texted me the list of people that were coming. I remember my heart skipping a beat when I saw Regina's name on the list but I should have known it actually. I mean, she does go there.

* * *

"Why are you so overexcited about this stupid party." Zooey said to me on the phone. I sighed as I started fidgeting with my own fingers.

"Just.. it seems like fun." I responded, hoping she would buy it.

Zoeey was two years older than me but we were in the same class. I met her when I moved to my next foster home and family. She was in one of my first families but I had insisted on staying in the same area so I could still see her regularly. They didn't do that normally but realized that I had gone through enough already. Zoeey was okay, I guess. We talked a lot but the only thing that seemed to interested her were guys and finding me one. What she didn't know was that I had a girlfriend. I never told her because I knew she would end our friendship immediately. I know I shouldn't even be friends with these people but there weren't many others that I could depend on. Expect for my girlfriend Lexie of course but didn't want to dump all my shit on her.

"I know, I told you that weeks ago but you said that you really needed to get good grades or something." Zooey said, annoying me. Why couldn't she just let it go.

"I don't know.. okay.. I just wanna go." I said, rolling my eyes because I knew she couldn't see me.

We said our goodbyes after that. I was slightly nervous about Zooey coming tonight because I didn't want her seeing me with Regina or anyone.

I asked Lexie to join me to the party but she said that she had to go to someone else's birthday, which could be a lame excuse but I wasn't going to ask her that, so she said she's going to join me the next time. I was a bit disappointed because we didn't get to see each other a lot but I couldn't force her to come with me. Lexie was great and I really didn't want to mess things up between us and also we would have to be pretend to be just friends in front of Zooey the entire night, which also wasn't much fun and Lexie was already complaining about that a lot.

* * *

I met Lexie in my third new foster family. I was sitting at a lunch table by myself at that time and I noticed her almost every day. She always caught my attention. At that point I had just realized that I might be somewhat interested in girls more than boys. If I look back at my life I should have known it sooner. There were a lot of pretty girls in school but Lexie was by far the most beautiful one. Her short playful brown hair and dark eyes looked stunning on her and she had the most amazing smile. I kept wishing that someday it would be directed towards me. And that wish came true sooner than I had expected. She was crying one day and sat down at my usual table. When I arrived I slowly sat down next to her .

"What's wrong?" I had asked to which she shrugged. She was clearly not in the mood for talking right now.

I didn't really know how to react at that moment because I had never been really good with crying people and saying the right things at that moment. I wasn't good with words, action was my thing. So I shifted closer to her and carefully put my arm around her. To my surprise she immediately wrapped me up in a tight hug. I was startled but stroked her back and whispered that it was going to be okay.

After that she had told me that she had been in a fight with one of her best friends and even though I couldn't give her much advice, I was able to cheer her up. We clicked immediately and decided that we should totally hang out, we could be great friends.

Two weeks later we were dating.

* * *

Anyways, Lexie wasn't coming to the party so it looked like it was just going to be me and Zooey.. great…

"So… are you excited?" Zooey asked me as we walked across the campus. I shrugged.

"Kinda. I guess." I tried to sound as calm as possible, though that wasn't how I felt. I felt really nervous even though I didn't realize why. I had tried to convince myself that it was because this was a new party, with mostly older and new people. No, it had nothing to do with seeing Regina again. Absolutely nothing.

Zooey ignored me and instead pointed at some guys standing next to the entry.

"They're realllllllly cute!" She said happily and started yanking on my arm, trying to get me to walk faster.

"Urghh do we really have to go to them?" I asked slightly annoyed as I tried to get my arm back.

The blonde ignored me and dragged me towards the group.

I felt extremely uncomfortable the second that we entered their little circle. I felt their eyes moving over my body to check me out and it made me feel very insecure. I was wearing a dress again, Zooey had forced me into wearing one, and it was really a bit too short since I was taller than her. It was black and the front had a really low cut. A bit too low actually. My hair was down again and it had only grown longer in the past year so now it reached halfway across my back, curling playfully. I knew I looked great but I felt so judged by their eyes.

I caught one of the guys smirking and poking another guy to look at me. I could barely hold back an eye roll.

"Hi guys! My name is Zooey and this is my friend Emma." She said enthusiastically as she was practically jumping up and down. I thought that she didn't like this party?

I just waved awkwardly at them. "Hi…"

Zooey shook her head at me, disappointed in my bad flirting skills, and focused on them again. "Anyways, Emma doesn't have a boyfriend but she really wants one.. so…" She then decided it was a good moment to leave us alone and turn away.

I ended up talking with them for fifteen minutes before I finally managed to escape them. With a bad mood already I finally walked inside, freezing because it was cold outside. I started looking for Zooey and found her pretty soon, dancing on the bar. I sighed and walked towards her.

"Zooey, please come down." I begged as I yanked on her skirt. How could she already be so drunk. I was gone for only fifteen minutes.

"Em! This is so much fun! Join me!" She tried to grab my hand but I took a step back and shook my head. Why did I always have so much trouble with drunk people.

Instead I went to the bar and ordered a drink myself, I hadn't planned on drinking alcohol tonight but this party had barely started and I already felt like crap so I really needed that drink.

* * *

About thirty minutes later I realized that I shouldn't have done that. Zooey kept bringing me free drinks and I had kept drinking them while I had to keep pushing this annoying dude away from my body. He was really starting to annoy me but I was a bit too tipsy to think of another way than physically pushing him away every time. Maybe if I hadn't accepted those drinks I would have been able to say something to him that would scare him away but no.. here I was tipsy, almost drunk, dancing and pushing a stranger off of me. I hadn't seen Regina yet, although I have to admit that I also haven't searched for her yet. I want to see her, I really do but I don't want to seem to desperate. I can have a good time at a party without having to see her, I had to show that to myself.

"No…" I said softly as I pushed him once again. This time it was harder and he didn't seem to like it. He came back immediately and forced himself on me. He grabbed my neck and brought our faces closer together. "Stop it." I said as I pushed him away once again.

"Why? I know you don't have a boyfriend or something. What's wrong with you?" He looked at me in disgust. I suddenly felt really vulnerable. He had broken something inside with that comment. That was a question I had asked myself a lot over the years. "What's wrong with me? Why does no one want me?" it was the question that every foster kid had and him saying that right now was too much. I opened my mouth to respond but an arm wrapped around my body and squeezed my weight. I thought it was Zooey and sighed at the thought of having to deal with her right now too. But then the person spoke.

"There's nothing wrong with her. She's my girlfriend." My head shot up immediately at the voice and I looked into her eyes. Regina's eyes. The familiar eyes. I realized that I no longer had to look up at her, we were the same height now. I had grown a lot in the past year and it was nice to finally be at eye level with her, you would almost forget about the age difference too. Her hair was up in something, I don't know, something messy but it looked really cute with some of the curls escaping. I smiled at her, and mouthed a 'thank you' for the rescue.

I raised my eyebrows at him as to dare him and then we started to turn around and walk away. Just as I felt the grip on my waist loosen up the guy stumbled back to us and grabbed my shoulder, forcing us to turn around.

"Hey why can't you just leave us alone?" Regina said. Wow, she had really grown confident in the past year. I mean, she always had been but it seemed even more now. I couldn't smell any alcohol on her so I was glad that I had finally someone to trust.

"I don't buy it." He said to which I shrugged.

"Who cares?" I said as I stared at him.

"Just admit it." He said to us. "Admit it. This is again some silly fake act just to get rid of me, you bitch." He seemed really pissed now and it caught the attention of a few others around us. I noticed that Zooey was next to me, staring at me with her eyes wide. She had never seen Regina and I had never told her about her so she must have no idea what the hell was going on.

I opened my mouth and moved my arm from around Regina, ready for attack but she quickly pulled it back and turned me around on my heels, so that I was facing her. I gulped in surprise but before I could react she pressed her mouth to mine.

I had no idea what I was feeling, only that it were a million feelings at one. I was like all of the loneliness and feeling of rejection was torn out of me by this simple kiss. I had never been kissed before because Lexie wanted to wait (I had no idea why, she could be so hard to read sometimes) so it took me some time and a pull of Regina on my hip before I realized I had to react to it. Slowly, but carefully I started moving my lips over hers. She slightly bit on my lower lip and I realized that I had never felt better in my entire life.. If every kiss felt like this, I had no problem with being kissed every day for the rest of my life.

It never felt like that again.

Slowly Regina pulled back and she looked at me really lovingly. I didn't know if she was faking it or if it was real but the guy was staring at us with his mouth open. I chuckled and blushed slightly, which was sort of out of character for me and let go of Regina. Zooey was just standing there like she might pass out any moment but I ignored her and instead opened my mouth to say something to Regina. But before I could, Steve, stupid Steve, came running towards us and I could hear Regina mutter 'shit' before she looked at me apolitically and let herself be dragged outside by an angry looking boyfriend.

I wanted to follow them but Zooey stopped me.

"What the hell was that?" she asked me, somewhat irritated.

"Just an old friend helping me out." I said as if it was nothing, even though my heart was racing.

"That sure didn't look like that." Zooey said as she argued with me once again. Why couldn't she just leave things alone sometimes, she always had to interfere. I was happy to have her, honestly, but sometimes she would just drive me crazy.

"Please just leave it." I said as I started to walk towards the exit, looking for Regina. I had never liked that Steve and had the feeling that Regina also felt really trapped in that relationship.

"No! No I won't. Not until you tell me what's going on!" The blonde insisted but then I turned around and really looked her in the eye.

"I said leave it. Mind your own business." I hissed to her before I left her all shocked and walked to the direction of the exit.

* * *

It took me ten minutes before I finally found them. I approached them slowly, not wanting to disturb them really, I was just checking out on Regina. They were standing by a tree and it looked like Regina was crying, which made me feel protective all of the sudden and I felt the urge to punch the guy. Could be just puberty though.

They were talking loud but I still couldn't hear the words so I moved closer. I sat down behind another fallen tree on the ground and looked at them. I felt like an idiot but told myself that I was doing this for the sake of another human being, I was doing something good.

"You bitch, you never listen to me." Steve said to Regina which made my anger boil even more. How did he dare to talk to her like that.

"Steve, it didn't mean anything. I told you." Regina responded which made me feel somewhat sad but I reminded myself that it wasn't about me.

"I don't care. You're with me. You are mine and mine alone and you listen to me. That's how it works. That was what we discussed but then why do you keep going out with your friends so often. Why do you never let me know when you'll be back and stop acting like you're not into that girl you just kissed. I could read it of your face." He said angrily.

Finally Regina decided to fight back. "You.. Urgh!" She said, clearly not wanting to call him names. "You don't give me any freedom at all. You only force me to do things. You are never here when I actually need you, You've never really been there for me." She snapped out and after some quiet moments she muttered a quiet 'asshole' . I got somewhat scared. She probably shouldn't have said that.

Turns out I was right. "What did you say?" Steve said before he suddenly slapped her right in the face. Regina seemed to be completely taken aback by the sudden attack and had no idea how to react. Luckily for her, I was by her side in an instant and punched the guy. Another thing that I learned in foster homes, punching. I knew where to hit them to really make it hurt.

He looked at me and clutched his jaw. He raised his arm as if to punch me back but I was faster and my knee hit him in his balls. He dropped down on the ground and screamed. Immediately I took the still quiet Regina and dragged her out of the small forest and back to the campus. We sat down on one of the couches and I carefully took her face in my hands.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

She looked at me for a few moments. The softness and vulnerability in her eyes was something I hadn't seen before in them. It was like walls had disappeared and she was completely open. For me, she couldn't have looked more beautiful and it didn't even matter to me that I had a girlfriend because at that moment I realized that the strange feeling that I had always had for Regina had turned from hate into something entirely different.

It seemed like she had noticed it too because all of the sudden I could see the emotion shift in them and it was like the walls were being build back, brick by brick. They became cold again and I frowned. She cleared her throat and removed my hand of her face.

"You shouldn't have done that." She said bravely.

"Regina, he punched you." I shot back at her, wanting her to be the same person from minutes ago again, the real Regina, not this bulletproof vest version. I wanted her to take it off again, because I wasn't going to let the guns fire at her. But it seemed like Regina was too scared to get hit again.

"I was fine handling things on my own." She stated as she avoided all eye contact now. It was really starting to annoy me.

"No you weren't." I responded to her. I wasn't going to give in this easy. Regina really had to realize that she and Steve were over. They had never worked and they never were going to work. He had this crazy grip on her heart and I thought that this punch would have turned things around for her but it seemed like she still didn't see it.

Regina only sighed in frustration at me. It took some minutes before she finally spoke again, her voice even more cold.

"Miss Stevens, you need to mind your own business." I had no idea where the formality all of the sudden came from but when I tried to look at her she only looked straight ahead.

"Regina.." I tried but she wasn't having any of it.

"Go." She said and then she finally did look at me. "I don't want you here anymore, nobody wants you, Miss Stevens."

The comment felt like a knife to my heart. She had rejected me with the exact same words that she used all those years ago, making me relive the pain all over again. Tears pricked in my eyes as I stood up and looked down at her.

"Whatever. " I said, copying her goodbye to me from years ago, for about a second I could see the pain trying to break through the walls but she wasn't letting it.

The tears were now really on my cheeks but I wasn't trying to hide them. Nothing could make this worse. I quickly walked away from Regina.

"Goodbye, Emma." She whispered when I was long gone.

* * *

**Srry for messing things up again. Don't worry I'll fix it again. Let me know what you thought. **

**and btw.. urghhh don't we all just f*cking hate Steve haha :)**


	5. A wedding

**woowww sorry for the super long delay but I was on a holiday and stuff and urgh.. school.. funny fact about this chapter. I was actually in Central Park when writing this :) **

**another thing.. I don't feel really good about this one, it just seems wrong but let me know what you think anyways. **

**at least it's longer :)**

**xx**

* * *

The fourth time I saw Regina I was nineteen and she was twenty-three.

"Neal" I scream to the bathroom door. No response. I sigh and knock while I scream his name once again. The water turns off and my boyfriend finally speaks up.

"What?" says his slightly annoyed voice.

"You said you were coming with me." I say, trying not to make my voice sound to hopeful.

"Oh yeah… I forgot to tell you, I can't come with you, I have some things to deal with."

I roll my eyes, I know exactly what he was talking about, because I know him. I met Neal a couple of months after the whole incident with Regina, which was really a turning point in my life. I was moved back to a foster home and was no longer placed in families. They couldn't handle me or something. I didn't get much freedom so I started to sneak out at the nights and steal. I had always been against stealing but I didn't have any money and I just didn't know what else to do. At those nights I went out to the city nearby and partied till five. There wasn't any holding back on the alcohol anymore. As soon as I turned eighteen I left the foster home and started searching for a place of my own. I had some money (they give you something so that you can get your life started) but it was barely enough for a place and some food so I was back to stealing. I met Neal on one of those days. It's actually quite funny because I was stealing a car and then suddenly he was in that car and I freaked out before I realized that it wasn't his car either. I stole a stolen car. I remember that being quite funny. Neal and I started talking and before I knew he was my boyfriend and we got our own place. Things went pretty fast between the those of us but we were both alone and it was just nice to have someone.

"How much?" I asked when Neal stepped out of the bathroom. My eyes didn't lure over his half naked body. They never had and I think it's something that seems to confuse both me and Neal. But we never really talk about our relationship, it's the least of our worries.

"ten thousand." He says, snapping me out of my thoughts. My jaw almost hits the ground. He really got us into some deep trouble this time.

"Ten thousand?!" I say surprised with a hint of anger in my voice, I don't want to make things worse but ten thousand?! Neal holds his hands up and quickly sits on the bed besides me.

"No, no I don't own anyone anything, we can _get _ten thousand if I deliver these watches tomorrow night." He says hesitantly.

A small smile grows on my face but my concern shines through. "And you're sure it's safe? You won't get caught?"

"Should be." Neal says.

I nodded, silently approving him to go through with his plan. He didn't give me any details and I didn't need them. Instead he leaned in and kissed me on my lips. Nothing. No butterflies. I used to feel something when he did that. Nothing like that kiss I shared with Regina but I blamed those feelings on the alcohol of that evening.

"Here." My boyfriend says as he puts one of the watches around my wrist, "they won't mind it if there's one missing and it looks great on you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

I really hate weddings. I had never been to one before but as soon as I entered the park I realized I hated them. I had actually planned not to go but Neal said that I should, it would be good. So I did. It was Sophie's wedding actually, I feel like twenty-three is a bit young to get married but then again she always said she was going to marry when she was still young. I guess she kept that promise. I haven't talked to her in over two years, to be honest and I admit that I was surprised when I saw the invitation on my facebook. She must have made a mistake right? I would have still thought it was one if she hadn't personally send me a message last week asking if I was coming.

Reason two I hated this damn wedding was that it was in freaking Central Park in New York city for god's sake. I live in Boston.. That means I had to drive for six hours and leave a day early so I could actually get some rest, not so much fun. They had this huge field for themselves, with only a couple of trees and a hill on one side. I say this park has much more beautiful places then this boring field.

Then reason number three, Regina is probably going to be here and she's the last person I want to see. Not just because I don't want a fight or because I think it will be awkward with the whole we-shared-the-most-amazing-kiss-ever but basically because I know she's going to be disappointed in me. Even if she won't tell me I know I'll see it in her eyes. I can't exactly tell why that upsets me so much, it just does.

But okay, enough about me not wanting to be here. I just have to put a smile on my face and make the best of it. I have to admit that for a horrible field, they made it look pretty damn amazing. There were a lot of white flowers and all the tables and chairs were decorated and they had a lot of happy wedding pictures.

I spotted some of Sophie's old friends and avoided most of them. I only really talked to Madison, who was a bridesmaid, before I found my seat in the front row. I felt slightly honored that she had put me in the front. I was finally relaxing in my seat, enjoying not having to talk to someone when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Excuse me. Thanks." I heard Regina say and I turned around in my chair to look at her. The first thing I noticed was how amazing she looked, it still amazed me how this woman seemed to only look more beautiful the older she got. She was wearing a light pink dress that came till a length that was just appropriate. It came all the way to her neck and her shoulders and side were covert with beautiful slightly darker pink curls. I can't quite describe it but she looks amazing. Not something I think she would have picked out herself but we all had to wear light colors. I myself was wearing a light blue strapless dress. It was quite simple and loose but it looked good on me.

The second thing I noticed about Regina was that she was alone. Steve wasn't there and there also wasn't an empty chair next to the one she took, which was a couple of rows behind me so if I was lucky she couldn't recognize me, her parents arrived ten minutes later but they didn't even look at Regina as they took their seat on the other side of the path in the middle. Something was definitely going on in this family but I reminded myself that it was none of my business.

After the ceremony, which was pretty amazing I have to admit Sophie picked out a nice man, I tried to get away as quickly as possible I had no interest in staying for cake, dancing or toasts because I wasn't planning on Regina noticing me. Unfortunately Sophie found me before I could run.

"Emma!" She screamed as she hugged me. "I'm so glad that you could make it." She was now beaming at me, Sophie looked really happy and that did make me feel better.

"Wouldn't miss it." I lied.

She eyes me over and I was glad for her happy post-wedding state so she didn't really take me in. "You look good." She finally said as she hugged me again. She had never really been a hugger so it must have something to do with this whole wedding thing.

A cough pulled us apart and my former sister laughed awkwardly. "Oops. Sorry." She pulled on her husband's arm, forcing him to stand right in front of me. I smiled.

"Emma, this is Austin my husband." She smiled and let that sink in for a second before continuing. "Austin, this is Emma."

I looked at him as he outstrectched his arm. His hair was dark but he had the purest green eyes. He had some facial hair but not a lot, just the way Sophie liked it. He was pretty tall though, I had to really look up to him and that didn't happen that often. He seemed like a good man. Took his outstretched hand and shook it.

"The famous Emma huh? I've heard a lot about you?" He said.

I can't stop my eyebrows from shooting upwards. "You have?"

He laughed slightly at my stunned expression and nodded.

Luckily Sophie broke the silence that followed. "Have you talked to Regina yet?" She asked.

I shook my head no, tyring to seem upset that I hadn't. "No, not yet." I said to her.

I never told her about the Boston incident so she thought me and Regina were still on good terms. Like at the funeral. She had no idea what happened and I wasn't planning on telling her, it seemed like I just had to find a way to avoid her without Sophie noticing.

"But how's she doing? How's Steve?" I tried to sound normal, like I was just interested in anything about Regina, I wasn't looking for information or anything. Seemed like I was easier to read than expected though. Sophie smiled knowingly at me.

"Here." Austin suddenly said, forcing a drink in my hand and interrupting me and Sophie. I hadn't even noticed that he was getting drinks. I looked at the glass, champagne. Great..

"Thanks…" I said while I awkwardly stood there with my drink. I smiled slightly as the both of them looked at me.

"Well.." Sophie started "take a sip." She said while she used her hand to push the glass to my mouth.

Once again I was saved my someone else, Thank god! They chatted to Sophie and Austin for a while and I wasn't sure if I could just walk off. Just as I started to walk away Sophie turned and looked at me.

"Sorry Em, we have to talk with some other people too but I'll see you later okay?" I nodded and smiled at her, raising my glass as to say goodbye. I sighed out in relief and quickly placed the glass on the counter, not noticing the eyes set on my back watching my every move. Suddenly Austin was back to my side, he was slightly panting, clearly he had ran back to me. He leaned closer to my ear.

"Want to know about Steve? Go ask her yourself." He said as she smiled at me with a look that said some things I didn't quite understand and then pointed at the person standing in a group behind me not far away. When I looked towards them it was just in time to saw Regina turn her head quickly. I took one step towards the group but stopped. Why was I doing this again? I was angry at this woman, remember, very angry. She made me feel unwanted and rejected so much that after that I could no longer live with foster families, too scared that they would reject me which turned my behavior around. It was all her fault.

I turned around again and ordered a glass of water but asked the waiter to put it in a wine glass so it looked like I was drinking wine before I made my way over to the cake. I was hungry and this damn cake looked really good.

* * *

It was getting later but nobody had left yet and I didn't really want to be the first to leave, not after I had already spoken to Sophie, it would upset her. So I stayed, and I sat down at a table drinking my water and just thinking about how Neal was doing. He should be delivering the watches right about now. The thought made me nervous so I forced myself to think of something differently.

All of the sudden another person dropped in a seat on the other side of the table. I looked over and rolled my eyes when I saw that it was Regina. I quickly looked the other way, ignoring her.

"Nice wedding, huh?" She asked. I didn't answer, instead started drinking the water I still had. It would give me an excuse for not talking. Regina didn't seem to mind that I ignored her or she just wasn't showing it.

"Are you here on your own?" She asked and I could feel her eyes burning on me.

It took me a whole minute before I finally shook my head, mentally kicking myself for doing that. I promised myself to stay away from her or ignore her for the entire night.

"Me too." She said and I could hear a slight slip in her voice, like it made her upset but she caught herself quickly. I was sure that if I would have looked into her eyes at that moment, I could have read what was going on, but I forced myself not to. I was really curious actually to why she said she was here alone if I had seen her parents. I wanted to ask but I couldn't.

Luckily Regina kept talking. "My parents don't speak with me anymore. Steve proposed to me that night Emma, you know which one I'm talking about, he said he was sorry and that he would never do it again, that he loved me. So he proposed." Her voice was definitely unsteady now and I finally turned my head to look at her. My walls were still up high but I needed to look at her. I was right, I could read the pain straight from her eyes, that were now tearing up.

"But I couldn't." she finally said after taking a sip of her wine. "I broke up with him and told him that I never wanted to see him again."

My brow furrows, that seems good than why is she fighting with her parents.

Again, it was like she heard my silent question.

"Thing is, he had already asked my parents for their permission and they have always been a fan of Steve, he was a completely different guy around them. So when I refused they were furious. Said I didn't know what I was doing, that I was insane, that they wanted nothing to do with me anymore."

Regina was really struggling to fight back her tears and I handed her a napkin with my left hand, keeping my right in my lap. I still hadn't said a word but it wasn't like I could just walk away right now so I opened my mouth.

"All of that because you said no?" I asked surprised, and a bit angry though it wasn't directed towards Regina, which I think she understood.

She was silent before she made eye contact with me for the first time. "Well, that wasn't all of it. They heard about our …" she was trying to pick the best word, " interaction.. and my mother wasn't really fond of it..."

"Interaction." I huffed, causing Regina to frown. "We kissed Regina."

I could see the blush creep up her cheeks as she turned her head down.

"You told your mother that it was just a onetime thing right? It happens to everyone, just a little bit of testing the waters." I said as I drank some more of my water. It was something like a phase where you would have feelings for people of the same sex, it usually passed soon. Though I still wondered when mine would pass.

Regina opened her mouth but she didn't want to look at me. "I'm not sure if it's just a phase, Emma. I think I might be gay."

My mouth dropped open and I was glad that she couldn't see me. I had never expected her to be gay, people asked me all the time but Regina? She didn't seem like the person that you would say is gay. But then again, never judge a book by its cover.

"And you told them." I asked to which she quickly nodded.

"They asked me why I had kissed some slut in the club instead of being with Steve. They said why in the hell would you do that? That's not something you do for fun." Regina said, her voice shaking as she was still looking down. I didn't want her too, I wanted to look into her eyes. Without thinking I took my chair and dragged it around the table, the music started playing in the background and people had started dancing but I was lost in our moment. My fingers carefully lifted her chin and she seemed startled by the sudden contact but she did let me go through with it.

"There you are." I said more sweetly than I had intended and it caught us both of guard for a moment before I frowned and asked my next question.

"You did tell them that it was a mistake right? Or that I forced myself onto you or something." I said, trying to think of how Regina got herself into this situation, whatever she had said it must have really upset her parents.

Regina shook her head no. She took another shuddering breath and allowed my eyes to read hers again.

"I told them that it wasn't a mistake and that you weren't just a slut, I told them the truth." Regina paused again and I almost rolled my eyes. Did I really have to keep pushing her to tell me? It was kind of adorable though.

"And what exactly is the truth?"

"That I like you. I enjoyed kissing you. That I wished I could have kissed you forever that night." Regina said, keeping her voice steady with newfound confidence.

My jaw dropped down again. I hadn't expected something like that. Not at all. I mean I liked her too, I think I do. It would explain a whole lot of things including me checking her out all the time and wow, that kiss.

Regina must have taken my pause the wrong was because suddenly she was standing and moving away from me. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

I took me a second before I was up on my feet and pulling her towards the dance floor. She squirmed in my arms, clearly startled by whatever was happening. "Dance with me." I said as I put one hand on her waist. She quickly put hers on my shoulder and our other hands intertwined. I felt the energy coursing through them and I was sure Regina felt it too but we didn't say anything. In fact was didn't say anything for a really long time but it was comfortable. We were both glad that Regina's parents had left already because they wouldn't have been pleased with this sight.

A slow song started and I tentatively pulled her closer with the arm around her waist. She only barely held herself back before moving into my arms. Her face rested on my shoulder and we continued on dancing like that.

Suddenly she chuckled. "I feel like a teenager at prom again."

My tone was more serious than I intended. "Me too."

I took a deep breath and one of my thumbs started tracing a pattern on her back. "Did you really mean what you said earlier?"

"mmm?" came the mutter from Regina.

"That you wanted to keep kissing me that night." I said, glad that she couldn't see me because this time I was the one to blush.

I could feel her smile against my shoulder. "I still want to."

I pulled back a little so that I could look into her eyes. It was something I hadn't seen before. The other time when we kissed I had seem lust and excitement in them but this went further. It seemed like her eyes said things our mouths didn't dare to say.

I tightened my grip around her waist and she moved her arms around my neck. Slowly I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers. She immediately moaned and it send a wave of heat through my body. I pressed our lips together again, this time a bit harder and started to move mine over hers. She immediately responded and we stood there making out like teenagers for two whole minutes. But I needed more. My body was craving for more. So I broke the kiss and led us to the other side of dance floor that was more secure and people couldn't really see us.

I quickly pressed my body to hers again and was pleased with another pleasurable moan. "Are you okay?" I asked, just to make sure. I didn't want her regretting this.

She nodded. "Perfect."

I beamed at her and she returned my smile before I finally pressed our lips together again. Somehow she lead me take the lead as I moved mine over hers again, never letting my tongue out. I was teasing her and from the groaning it seemed to work. She pulled apart only enough to be able to speak. "Stop teasing me, Emma."

I smiled, this was the response I had been waiting for. This time when our lips were moving again I let out my tongue and traced her bottom lip with it. She opened her mouth immediately and I started to explore her mouth. Fireworks exploded in my mouth, she tasted so good and this time it was me who moaned.

Suddenly Regina took the dominance and pushed me on one of the couches. She straddled my lap and I really didn't care if anybody was looking or not. Her hand moved over my belly and I tensed but she didn't stop kissing me so I relaxed again. Her tongue was wild against mine and I felt it right in my core. I didn't want to stop but was also sure that if I didn't, this would go too far.

We were both panting when we pulled apart and Regina said beside me. I didn't hesitate to put my arm around her.

One of her hands took mine and she squeezed it. "Emma, I'm really sorry." She said and I looked at her, one eyebrow raised. What was she talking about?

"About what?"

"About being so mean to you, all the time, and i'm sorry about rejecting you. I shouldn't have said what I said in Boston. It was so stupid." Her eyes watered again and I quickly placed a hand on her cheek. I didn't even know she could be this vulnerable.

"It's okay." I said. "You didn't mean it, you were just very confused."

She nodded and we enjoined a bit of silence and some light kisses before Regina broke the silence once again.

"Now what?" She asked and suddenly it all hit me. I had a boyfriend. I had Neal, who was delivering watches and earning ten thousand dollars right now. It all hit me and I tensed up completely. And then there was this even bigger problem as I unconsciously moved my hand over my belly.

Regina noticed it and she looked at me.

"How long have you been pregnant?" She asks me and I tense up even more. How did she know that. I realize my mouth is open once again and quickly close it and look at my lap. I try to remove the hand from around her body but she forces it to stay there.

"About 19 weeks." I say as I move my hand over my belly. You can actually see something already. Regina moves her hand but then looks at me. I nod, giving her permission. She places her hand over it and surprisingly smiles, only for a second.

"I'm guessing you have a boyfriend too." Her voice sounds more sad now.

"Yeah but I don't think I love him, Regina." I say.

She squeezes my hand once again. "You're only saying that because of what you're feeling right now, because of this," she points between the two of us, "but you can't just go and leave your boyfriend and leave your child fatherless only because we have some insane connection that seems to be like a magnet."

I want to argue but realize that she's right. "So how are we going to do this? I don't want to part ways and not see you again for another three years."

We stay silent for another minute or two before the moment gets interrupted by loud sirens. We both sit up straight and look towards the rest of the people. I stand up and take Regina's hand, leading her back towards the rest of the people.

"What's happening?" I ask one the first person I see. As soon as the man sees me he starts screaming. "She's here!" He jumps up and down and points at me. I feel Regina's hand leave mine but I don't have time to look around before an officer is by my side and is putting handcuffs on.

"Emma Swan you are under arrested for stealing watches worth an amount of ten thousand dollars. You know your rights?" I nod before I turn to the man in utter panic.

"Wait you must be wrong! I didn't steal any watches!" I say as I squirm trying to turn so I can see Regina.

"Regina!" I then scream but I still can't see her.

"Oh, so then what's this?" The officer says when he points to one of the watches on my wrists.

Suddenly it all hits me. Neal. I was set up. This was his plan all along, or at least his backup plan, having me arrested for stealing those watches. I admit it was clever to put one on my wrist.

I stayed quiet and the officer laughs. "Not so much to say right now, huh?"

He starts pushing me forward and then suddenly I see Regina again. "Wait stop!" I yell to the man and surprisingly he does when he sees Regina coming towards us.

"Regina, I promise you I have nothing to do with this, my boyfriend set me up. I didn't steal those watches, please you know me you have to believe me." I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I looked hopeful at Regina. For once I couldn't read her eyes.

Slowly she nodded. "I believe you."

I sighed out in relief. "Promise me you will wait." I say and she looks surprised.

I know that I'm not going to prison in here, I'll be going back to Boston or maybe even my hometown which is way too far from Regina and I can't just ask her to change her entire life for me right now, for someone in jail. She just has to wait for me.

She looks at me and smiles through her own tears.

"I will."

* * *

**so... what did you think?**


	6. Bench

**I'm sorry...**

* * *

I saw Regina again after I left prison, which was two years later. To be exact I was 21 at the time. Regina was 25 already.

The prison I was kept in had very strict rules and old fashion ways of handling things. Which meant that girls were treated badly, and we didn't get as many food as the man. I quickly learned not to get into a fight here because the guards won't help you. They act like they don't see any of it happening. I was lucky to be pregnant because I got into a secured area with other pregnant woman, where they took better care of me and there were also nurses who came to check every two weeks.

Only they were very strict about reaching the outside world. We weren't allowed to because some of the woman who had been here before us had contacted their exes saying the baby was born and they would sue the prison, wanting that baby. It didn't do any good to the prison or to the baby's so we couldn't send back anything. Which nearly broke me.

My healthy son was born about four months after I got into prison. I named him Henry because I had actually always liked the name and it just felt right for him. It suited him. I tried giving him up for adoption but the system was rough and they said that they would get him into a foster home and then make sure that he was quickly placed into a family. But that was the same shit they had thrown on me, and kept telling me all those years 'it's okay sweetheart, this is just for now, we'll find you a family soon' and look where I ended up. I don't want my son to go through that. So even though I knew it wasn't optional for him, I kept him and took care of him in prison. Woman did that a lot here, actually. With Henry there it wasn't too bad, at least I had some company. He was the cutest baby ever.

For the first year Regina kept writing me letters and she always promised me she would wait. I remember one of her fist ones.

_Emma, _

_How are you doing? Is the baby not kicking you too much? _

_I hope you're fine and that they're not too harsh on you over there. I miss you. It's weird because I hated you a couple of years ago and then all of the sudden, in one night actually, things shifted. We haven't even had a first date but I feel so connected to you. It's weird. _

_I am almost finished with my study and even though I'm glad I just don't know what to do afterwards. I can't just run into a random town and say 'hey, I'm your Mayor as of today.' I have to come up with a plan and maybe even move somewhere else. I don't know.. something.. I'll see. _

_My parents keep trying to set me up with man. They're always successful and rich but I don't want them. I want you. _

_I feel like I've cheated on you. I went out with one of them last night, but only because my parents wouldn't shut up about him. It went okay I guess, I mean he wasn't as bad as the others but still, I kept thinking how amazing it would have been if that person were you, if that had been our first date and then the butterflies would be everywhere. I wish it had been you. _

_I tried tracking down your boyfriend, but he seems to be disappeared from the planet. But don't worry, I won't give up. _

_I hope you'll answer one of these soon because now I feel like I'm just writing to myself. Or maybe you're just thinking that this was all one big mistake. I mean I don't even know where we're at. We had one moment, on a wedding. We're not even dating or anything. Yeah.. you're probably thinking that I'm taking this too far. But I don't care, it's not like I can stop or embarrass myself even more. _

_Have to go now, my mom is coming over soon (probably to introduce me to someone else)_

_Love,  
Regina_

_p.s: I promise._

And Emma would always respond, even though she couldn't send them, she knew that if she wrote them and kept them then maybe one day she could give them to Regina. She knew it would mean a lot to the other woman.

_Dear Regina, _

_I'm okay I guess, could be worse. My baby is kicking me like crazy, sometimes I can't even sleep at night. The other woman here are telling me that it's probably a boy. Now I just have to think of something to name him. _

_I know that it's weird. I hated you too. But then again, I always longed for you too, although I never understood that it was longing I was feeling. But now I know. _

_I'm so proud of you! That's really amazing! You can actually rule a town! I bet people are gonna listen to you, I would! You're gonna be awesome Regina, no matter where you end up. _

_You didn't cheat on me. Can't deny that I'm not jealous of that guy (I want to take you on that date) but it's not cheating. It's just that I wonder… Can't you just tell your parents to back the hell off. This is your life Regina, and you can do anything you want with it. You don't have to listen to them. _

_Thank you for trying to track down Neal. But I don't think you'll find him. He's good with that, disappearing. _

_Gosh, I wish I could be with you right now and show you just how much this is not just something stupid that's in our heads. I wanna scream to the guards here to let me send this letter but I know that they won't. Regina I really like you, so for the sake of it. Will you be my girlfriend?_

_Love,  
Emma_

As time went on, Regina's messages became more vague and short.

_Emma, _

_I hope your baby is fine. I bet he or she is adorable. _

_You're almost done there, aren't you? Like three months to go. You must be glad. _

_Miss you._

_Regina._

That was the first time that Regina had left out the 'p.s: I promise' and it freaked me out. I needed to get out of this place and go find Regina before it was too late. I had no idea what was going on since I couldn't ask but something was definitely off. So I started behaving better and better, doing extra work and being extra sweet. Luckily my adorable son made it easier for me and some of the guards in my area actually started to sort of like me, as far as that goes in a prisoner-guard relationship of course.

They let me go good behavior a month later.

* * *

When I finally stepped out of that damn building I had no idea where to go. Regina had said something about moving in with her parents in Brooklyn, New York but I wasn't sure if she still lived there since she was moving a lot because of her career. I could go to that apartment but if I found nothing it would be harder for me to get a place that wasn't too expensive for me and Henry. I decided to stay in a hotel and start searching tomorrow, when I had more energy and Henry was well fed. I also needed something to carry him with me.

When I woke up the next day I first went to the store before I started my journey to New York. This was going to be a long journey, but it better be worth it.

* * *

Around six that night I stood in front of Regina's or actually, her parents' house. I took a few deep breaths and looked down at Henry who was secured in the maxi cosi I got him. His big green eyes seemed to calm me down and I smiled at him. Then, I knocked.

Unfortunately it was Cora who opened. Her jaw almost hit the ground when she saw me and she was silent for half a minute before she could finally speak. "Emma." She breathed. "What are you doing here?"

She then noticed my kid and she seemed actually relieved. She probably thought I was happily married to some guy and came to thank them or something. God, if she only knew.

"Hey." I responded awkwardly. "Is Regina here?"

The older woman narrowed her eyes at me before she slowly nodded. "I'll get her."

"Regina!" Cora screamed inside the house while I stared at Henry once again.

"It's going to be okay." I whispered.

"Emma's here!" I heard Cora scream. Then there was silence again before finally someone came down the stairs and opened the door wider.

Regina Mills. There she was. Now I realized just how much exactly I had missed her. Regina looked beautiful, her hair was still the same as two years ago, short. But something about her wasn't quite right, she didn't seem happy, not even now.

Regina stepped outside and nudged her head towards the park. He walked there in silence, expect for the cute noises coming from Henry, which I found adorable but this time I couldn't smile.

We sat down on one of the couches and I was the first to talk.

"Look Regina I'm sorry I never responded, I got them, I did all of them but we weren't allowed to send letters and I'm really sorry but I missed you and-"

Regina hadn't actually said something to interrupt me but the look in her eyes warned me. Something was definitely going on. Where was the carefree Regina that I had in my arms two years ago? What had happened to her?

"Gina what's wrong?" I asked her. Instead of answering she looked down at Henry.

"A boy huh? What's his name?"

"Henry." I responded while Regina looked deep into my son's green eyes, the exact same shade that I had.

She nodded and smiled at him before she took a deep breath and focused her attention on me again. I saw her inner struggle and gently brought my hand up to stroke her cheek. She closed her eyes and I took it as a sign to lean in. I moved my body closer to her and kept stroking her cheek till are lips finally touched. She was so tensed up but before I could help her ease some of that tension we were interrupted.

"Regina!" Someone screamed and I jumped back. I had just enough time to see the pain flicker in Regina's eyes.

"Here you are!" The unknown person said before the man walked into my sight and instantly leaned over our bench to kiss Regina. My eyes went wide and I felt a little piece of my heart breaking. What was this?

"Daniel." Regina whispered but I could hear her. "Do you think you can give us a moment."

The man looked at me and I could take in his features. He looked friendly but I was mad at him for kissing Regina, he had no right to. She was mine, she was my girlfriend, well at least she would have been if she had gotten that letter.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies. And…. I don't think I know you. I'm Daniel." He said as he outstretched his arm. "Regina's fiancée, as you probably know."

My whole body tensed up as I took his hand and shook it. My heart starting beating faster and I felt my eyes water. This couldn't be happening, there was no way that Regina was engaged. She promised!

"Uh.. Emma." I finally managed to stay as Daniel kept staring at me. "Cute little man you got there." He said as he let go of my hand and pointed at Henry. "Well. I should go, but great seeing you." Daniel turned and left us there on the bench. Even Henry was silent.

Regina didn't even dare to look at me. "Emma.. I'm so sorry." She finally said, her voice shaking.

"You promised!" I said loudly, making a few people who were close look at us.

"You promised." I said again, but more quiet this time, only for Regina to here. I didn't care that I was crying.

"I just.. you were away for so long and you never wrote me back and I just.. I couldn't wait.. my parents-"

I interrupted her. "I knew it."

She finally looked at me. "Don't do that, Emma. They're my parents." Her glare was angry.

I huffed and laughed a little. "Regina, come on. You never liked them, why the sudden attachment. You're twenty-five for god's sake. Start living you own life. I bet that this was one of your parents' dates for you. This is real love, okay. What we have is real, remember? We have a real connection." I tried, I didn't care that it sounded desperate.

"Emma, you have to disappear. We can't see each other anymore, you can't jump in and out of my life okay. I'm going to be married soon I have to start living my life. It will hurt too much so for the sake of both of us, this needs to end. Right now." Regina said harshly.

There was the rejection again, something she said she would never do to me again. But this time it was different. I knew that she didn't want to reject me. But I also knew there was no way I could convince her of taking the risk to be with me and Henry. Her mother had too much of a grip on her.

"When's the wedding?" I asked.

"Two weeks." Regina responded, looking at the ground.

"Well congratulations on your engagement." I said as I picked up Henry and started walking away, but I remembered something and opened my bag. "I did write you. They just never got to you." I said as I dropped about one hundred letters on her lap. She looked up to me and I could see that her true feelings for me were still hidden underneath there. "I never gave up on us."

I caught Regina staring at Henry as we walked away.

_You could have been his mother. _ I thought as we walked away from the park and away from Regina, once again.

* * *

**you guys okay? I promise this story has a happy ending, just hang in there a little longer. **


	7. Massachusetts General Hospital

**Hey guyss next chapter! sorry it took me slightly longer this time :**)

**btw i'm not really happy with this chapter but yeah... sorry for that.**

**all grammer mistakes are mine. I should get a beta,, I know. If anyone knows someone, please do message me! **

**Hope you enjoy, **

**xx**

**OH AND SORRY NOT SORRY FOR THE GREY'S ANATOMY REFERENCE IN HERE. **

* * *

It was only a year later when I saw Regina again. I was twenty-two, Regina was twenty-six by this time and my little boy was already two, he was growing up fast. The year had gone by fast. I now had my own apartment in Boston, which was great and it was perfect for me and Henry.

It was definitely not my intention to see Regina, I hadn't heard from her all year and I hadn't wanted too. She had invited me to her wedding though, probably because she felt like she had too but I didn't go. It would have been too painful and I might have killed Daniel right there at that moment. I stayed home instead and ate Ben&Jerrys ice on the couch, with Henry next to me, watching my every move and trying to comfort me in his own way, which was smiling at me and not crying so much. I loved him.

I was really mad at Regina for a long time, which kept me from moving on but I finally found a way to sort of move past it. I still didn't feel ready for a new relationship, especially after Neal. I didn't feel like I could still trust people. First Neal set me up and then Regina just straight out lied to me. And of course there was Henry, which was enough for now.

So really, I wasn't happy to see Regina that unfaithful day.

I had found a job as a bounty hunter now, so I spend my time catching people like Neal, which satisfied me somehow. Luckily most of it was during daytime so I could drop Henry off at a center where they took care of him in the evening until I returned around midnight to take him home. I know it's not ideal but at least I get to spend the days with him, which is great.

At one of these night I was especially late and arrived at the center at around 2am. I knew they were okay with it but I didn't like arriving so late because I knew Henry would be up for a while before I would get him to sleep again. I sighed deeply as I pushed open the doors, trying to rub the stain off my dress that the red wine had made. Stupid guy. I walked in and approached a member of the staff.

"Good evening Miss. Swan." She said friendly and I smiled tiredly at her.

"Good evening Isobel. I know I'm a little later but you know.. rough night."

The woman smiled warmly at me. Isobel was an elderly woman who had worked in the center for thirty years and I got along with her pretty well. She was friendly and she took good care of Henry. She sometimes acted like she was my mother, which I secretly loved.

"Catching bad guys again, sweetheart? You are being careful right?" She said, a smile on her lips but I could see the real emotion in her eyes.

I laughed softly. "Of course."

She smiled at me again and I looked around for Henry. "Where's Henry?" I asked and she pointed a finger in the air and grabbed my arm to lead me to the large bedroom.

"He's in here. He was crying for hours today but your friend the Mayor visited and calmed him down. You never told me about her."

I frowned and it took me a couple of seconds before realization struck me. Regina. My eyes widened in shock and I burst through the doors.

"Give me my son back." I say loudly, waking up some other kids and startling Regina. Isobel placed a hand on my arm as to calm me down.

"I'm sorry Emma. I thought she was a friend."

I looked at her and managed to smile. "It's okay, Isobel. Can you give us a minute." The elderly woman nodded and walked away.

I looked at Regina who was holding my baby boy in her arms securely. Henry was still asleep but he was about to wake up. I rushed towards Regina and stood in front of her angrily.

"Give my back my child." I hissed.

Regina looked up to me and smiled. "Why did you name him after my dad?" She asked suddenly, all sweet and friendly. It was like she didn't even notice I was angry.

"I didn't." I said as I stepped up to her.

When I came closer I noticed the dark circles around Regina's eyes and the extremely formal way she was dressed. Definitely a mayor.

Regina crooked her head at my remark but decided not to argue against it.

"Now give me Henry back." I said once again but a bit harder as I outstretched my arms.

"shhh. Be quiet. You'll wake up the other kids." Regina said as she started to stand up with Henry and slowly hand him back to me.

I took Henry for her and it amazed me how good she was with him. But well.. maybe she had her own child, it could be.

"Thank you." I said, my voice still angry. I wasn't planning on letting Regina in again, knowing it would hurt me big time.

I turned around and grabbed the maxi-cosi that I had left on the ground. I placed Henry in it, who was still asleep somehow, and made sure he was secure. I stood and started to walk away. I wasn't surprised when I heard Regina call back for me.

"Emma." She said softly and I rolled my eyes before turning around.

She opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off.

"Thanks for watching Henry. Enjoy your evening." I said and then I left, leaving her shocked and alone. I sure as hell wasn't going to make the same mistake.

* * *

"Goodnight Henry." I say as I kiss my son's forehead and put the blanket on top of him. I find myself going back to the living room, even though it's so late. I just don't feel like going to my empty bed, not tonight. As I sit down I feel myself easily drifting off and I let myself.

I wake up for what feels like hours later but is actually only 15 minutes. I look around startled, searching for the thing that caused me to wake up. On instinct I pick up my gun from the table and hold it up. Only then I notice the flashing light coming from my phone and the familiar sound of my ringtone. I let out a breath and pick up the damn thing.

"Swan." I say, a bit pissed at whoever is waking me up at like.. 3:30 in the morning.

"Emma Swan?" a woman on the other end of the line asks me.

I frown. I haven't heard this voice before, and something just feels off. I stand up and walk to Henry's room, just to check on him. Luckily he is okay and I focus my attention back on the conversation I was having.

"Yes. Who is this?" I ask cautiously.

"Miss Swan this is doctor Robbins from the Massachusetts General Hospital. Can you maybe sit down?"

I feel my stomach drop and I clutch my forehead. Who is this about? I don't like where this is going. I nod even though the woman can't see me and sit down on the couch again.

"Ye.. Yes.." I stammer.

The woman continues, "I'm sorry to inform you but your wife had a car accident and we had to do an emergency surgery on her. Can you be here as quick as possible?"

I frown, is this woman sure she has the right Emma Swan. I have no idea who she's talking about.

"I'm not married." I say, a bit annoyed.

"Oh.. I'm sorry, it's just that, she kept saying your name and the ring and then the emergency number in her wallet and-" The woman kept on rambling so I had to cut her off, I couldn't even understand what she was saying.

"Who are we talking about?" I say a little louder.

"Regina, Regina Mills."

It's like my body freezes right at that spot and all the anger I have towards her just fades away for a minute. I can't even move of the freaking couch as my hand drops down in my lap, holding the phone. I can hear the doctor talk but I don't register any of the words she's saying. I need to get to the hospital, that's all I know.

Finally I move myself of the couch, my eyes filling with tears, I don't really know why but it just happens. I quickly take a bag from the closet and throw some clean clothes in it. I have no idea how long I'll stay there, but I might need them in the morning. I take Henry out of his bed once again and apologize to him, he only murmurs back some sleepy words, for which I'm grateful. I really can't have him crying now. It's like he senses my tension and fear because when I pick him up, he hugs me tighter than normal. I walk out of my apartment and knock on my neighbor's door. Megan is a friendly slightly older woman who loves Henry but she usually refuses to watch him in the evening, which is totally understandable, I can't come by every evening at 2 to pick him up again.

She opens the door, annoyed and yawning.

"What is it?" She says with a slightly angry tone.

Only then does she notice my flustered look and my wet cheeks and red eyes.

"Emma? What happened?" She quickly takes Henry from my arms.

"My uhm.. friend she had a car accident. Need to get to the hospital." I say, still quite in shock.

"How bad is it?" Megan asks me.

"I don't know. Pretty bad I think." I see as another tear escapes my eye. I never thought that I would care so much if this ever happened, I thought I was over Regina, I thought my feeling weren't this strong anymore. It seems like I was wrong, I couldn't even be angry with her right now, I first had to make sure she was okay, I could be angry again later.

"Well then go sweetheart, go to your friend." I nod and smile weakly at her before running off towards the elevator.

* * *

I arrive at the hospital 30 minutes after my call, which is fast since the hospital is far from my place. Panting, I run towards the front desk and yell at the first nurse I see.

"Where's Regina?"

The woman startles and looks at me, not pleased with my behavior.

"Can I help you?" She asks me and I get even more frustrated.

"Please, I need to see Regina."

The nurse rolls her eyes and slowly walks towards her computer, I feel like I could kill her right now. Luckily for that nurse, a woman taps on my shoulder right that moment.

"Miss Swan?" The familiar voice says and I turn around to see a doctor. She doesn't look like a doctor though, her blonde curly hair and big blue eyes make her seem more like a… teacher or something but she seems very trust worthy and friendly. I nod at her.

"Doctor Robbins?" I ask in return to which she nods too.

"How is Regina?" I ask her and she places a hand on my arm to guide me to the waiting room. I try reading her face as we walk but I can't get anything from it.

"How is she?" I push once again, when we're seated.

The woman sighs deeply and looks into my eyes. "Like I told you she had a car accident and we had to do an emergency surgery. You see, her organs inside were bleeding and we had to go in and stop it. But once we got in, there was a lot more bleeding and her heart couldn't take it."

I gasp and doctor Robbins places a hand over mine. "We had to restart her heart again doing surgery. It worked but we are still uncertain how many damage is caused. We have her in a recovery room but her situation is critical. You should be prepared, she might not make it through the night."

I couldn't cope with this, first she died, but then they brought her back to life for which I felt utterly relieved but now they're saying she might not make it through the night, how the hell was I going to do this. I had to call Daniel, probably, tell him what happened.

But first I had to see Regina.

"You want me to take you to her?" Doctor Robbins said as she looked at my face.

"Yes." I muttered and we started walking.

Regina's room was a pretty far walk since it was all the way in the back. When we finally arrived Doctor Robbins stepped up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll give you two a moment alone, if you need me, just ask for Arizona Robbins, okay? And I'm sorry for thinking she was your wife, she just seemed so… I don't know.. she talked about you as if you were her wife, you understand?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I get it."

Arizona smiled back at me before she turned around and left me. I slowly pushed open the doors and walked inside. Regina's room was completely dark and quiet except for the beeping of the machines. I was actually glad that it was darker because I could already see, even with the lack of light, that her injuries were pretty bad and I think that if I would see them in the light it would make things even more real. I didn't want that right now. Instead I moved a chair closer to the bed and grabbed Regina's hand, kissing it.

"What did you get yourself into this time?" I asked her, even though I knew she wasn't going to answer.

"You better not die, Regina. Lots of people need you. You have a town to run, your parents need you. Daniel, he needs you." I wanted to say 'I need you' but I couldn't do that to myself, and to Regina.

I grabbed her phone from her pursue and searched for Daniel's number, I then called him and informed him of the situation. I was glad he didn't ask why I was there but he just said he was coming right away and he would be here the next day, around the afternoon.

Doctor Robbins came in again after 30 minutes, to check some of the beeping machines from Regina before she turned to me.

"Hey Emma, do you want some pillows and a blanket maybe, since you're staying here?"

I wanted to say no but then, what the hell, I was indeed staying and I needed some sleep.

"Yes, thank you, that would be great." I said instead and Arizona seemed pleased with my answer.

Merely 3 minutes later doctor Robbins returned with my blankets and pillow and I moved myself to the couch, which I also pushed closer to Regina. Luckily for me, Arizona had lowered Regina's bed so even though she was still a bit higher, I could lay my arm on her bed and hold her hand, without it being uncomfortable.

* * *

I woke up the next morning from the sound of a monitor beeping faster than it had done the evening before. I freaked out immediately and called out for a nurse.

"What's wrong?" the nurse asked me as she scanned the room for any signs of a dying patient.

"Doctor Arizona Robbins. Now." I said and the nurse quickly ran off again.

Finally I laid my eyes on Regina and saw that they were still closed. What was happening? Was she dying? My heart was racing so fast, that I didn't even feel the squeeze in my hand for the first five seconds.

Only then did I look down and saw that Regina was indeed squeezing my hand. "Regina?" I yelled and she frowned slightly.

"Regina? Please wake up!" I screamed again and I heard the quick footsteps entering the room.

"What's wrong with her?" I yelled towards doctor Robbins who quickly moved herself around me to go to the machines and then look down at Regina who was frowning again and trying to open her eyes.

"It seems like she's waking up." Arizona said.

My face still looked extremely worried and in panic. Arizona smiled and me and turned my head so I looked at Regina.

"She's waking up. It's a good thing."

Arizona moved towards the other side of the bed while I focused my attention back on Regina.

"You are?" I asked her and finally her eyes opened.

She slowly opened her mouth. "I am. Now would you stop screaming, dear?" Her voice said, sounding weird from the dryness.

A big weight dropped of my shoulder and I beamed at her. I noticed Arizona staring at us.

"I'm so glad that you're okay." I said and I squeezed her hand even harder.

"Me too." She said.

Her eyes started to drop shut again and I stroked her hand. "It's okay, you can sleep some more. I called Daniel, he's on his way."

She smiled weakly. "Thank you for staying with me."

* * *

When Regina was asleep again I checked the clock. 12. It was time for me to leave since Daniel could be here any second. I quickly gathered by stuff and changed myself in the bathroom.

When I walked out of Regina's room, I found doctor Robbins standing by the nurse station. I walked up to her.

"Are you leaving?" She asked me surprised.

I nodded. "Yeah, her husband is coming soon so it's time for me to leave." I shrug as if I don't mind but Arizona seems like she isn't buying it.

"When are you coming back?" She asks me.

I quickly move my gaze towards my feet, I can't look at her right now. She won't understand.

"I am not." I say.

When Arizona stays quiet for a long time I gather enough courage to look up at her again.

"I understand Emma, I mean I don't know every detail of your relationship but it seems a lot like the thing me and my wife Callie once had. But you'll see, in the end, faith always wins."

I look surprised at her, I never would have guessed she would have been married to a woman, but then again, I only knew her for a night or so. Arizona just smiled back at me and I said goodbye to her.

"Will you make sure Regina reads this message, it's important." Doctor Robbins nodded and I left the hospital, making the wise decision, not only for me but also for Regina.

* * *

Arizona walks into Regina's room an hour or two later, when her husband has finally left her side. Arizona couldn't help but be ignored by the man. When Emma was worried about Regina it was adorable and it seemed so true and so full of love, with this man it was just annoying and fake.

"Hey how are you?" Arizona asks and Regina shrugs.

"I was told to give you this." She said as she outstretched her hand. Regina looked at it and it seemed like she was having an inner struggle. Should she take it or not.

Finally she took the piece of paper and Arizona smiled, leaving the woman alone again.

_Dear Regina, _

_I was so scared last night, scared that I would lose you forever but also scared of how much I was scared. Does that make sense? Anyway, it's not cool to say this right now, and certainly not in a letter but I love you Regina. I didn't realize I did before last night but now I know I do and I also know that I can't let myself. Not for you and not for me. It wouldn't be good. So I'm sorry if I'm already breaking things by even writing this but I had to tell you, before walking away. I don't want you to think that I was only there because someone needed to be. I was there because I love you and I couldn't bear the thought of you dying. But it also made me realize that maybe you weren't so wrong with leaving me all those times. Maybe you did it for the same reasons I'm doing it this time but you just didn't know you were. I can't say that I'm not still angry with you because of what you did the previous time but now I can also see where you're coming from. We can't just sit around and wait, I don't want to wait the rest of my life. Besides, a friend once told me that in the end faith always wins. If faith truly wanted us together it wouldn't give us such a hard time. Right?_

_I couldn't stay this morning and shake things up between us. I know you're married and I know that I have to move on. I have Henry now, I need to be responsible, hell I need to be a parent, a good example. So this is me saying goodbye again, but this time without the fight, without anger. I wish you and Daniel the very best._

_Please don't come looking for me. _

_Emma_

_p.s I do hope you read all the letters I gave you_

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed it. Btw what did you think of Arizona in this chapter? I mean, if I'm writing about a hospital I just can't help myself, Arizona has to be in here, even though she normally does peds. **


	8. Storybrooke

**Heyyy guys, i'm back again with another update. **

**I wanna thank my beta (yay I have one now) whose also my awesome friend! So thanks ****Eleane! (or BlackenedAngel here) **

**Hope you enjoy this next one.**

**Pay attention though, this story has a time shifting thing and it's not entirely from Emma's POV. **

* * *

Regina kept her promise, I kept my promise. It was my son actually, that broke it. Eight years after the letter, after the accident, after our goodbyes. I was thirty already and Regina was thirty-four.

A WEEK AFTER REGINA'S ACCIDENT

A couple of days after I left Regina in the hospital, I got a text from Arizona (I had given her my number just in case something happened to Regina) saying that Regina could leave in a week and she was planning on searching for me. Apparently she and Daniel fought all the time; he kept on asking who I was and why she was so upset, but Regina kept her mouth shut. She didn't want Daniel to know about me. But when Arizona had politely asked her what was wrong and if she could do anything Regina had yelled at her, saying that she knew that Arizona had something do with this and she had to tell her where I was. Luckily for me, Arizona's pager had gone off right at that moment.

But Regina would find me; she had before and I was sure she could do it again. I wasn't surprised when the doorbell rang a week later, I had been waiting for it. Sighing, I walked towards it and pulled it open, trying not to show any emotion. I was surprised when it wasn't Regina but Arizona.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the blonde doctor.

Arizona smiled and opened her purse to search for something. I noticed that she was dressed in scrubs and she looked slightly flustered, she was probably in a rush. Finally she found what she had been looking for. A letter. She handed it to me and I hesitated slightly before taking the letter from her.

"Thanks.." I said and I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Look, it's from her. I don't understand why you guys don't just text-"

"I don't have her number." I said, cutting Arizona off.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Look I think I understand what's going on and I get that you need to talk about it, but I can't keep doing this forever." Arizona said, not angry but just a bit annoyed, which was understandable.

I smiled apolitically at her. "I'm sorry."

She smiled back at me before turning on her heels and leaving me alone again.

Once inside, I placed the letter on the coffee table in front of the TV. I wasn't sure if I was ready to read it yet. I was surprised by the fact that Regina wasn't here, since Arizona's text had said that she was going to come look for me. Now all I have is this letter. Honestly, I had no idea what it would say. Is she angry? Upset? Maybe she's begging for me to love her, maybe she and Daniel are getting a divorce and maybe she's moving in. No I shouldn't think that way…. I can't get my hopes up. Besides, I shouldn't want that; I should want to move on, to find someone else. Maybe if I kept reminding myself of that I'd actually believe it. Molly always used to say that if you don't like something, you have to keep telling yourself every day that you do like it and then you'll see that after a while.. you actually like it.

I shake away my thoughts and slowly walk back towards the table and grab the letter. I sit down on the couch, next to where Henry is quietly playing on the ground and open it. With shaking hands I start to read.

_Dear Emma, _

_First of all, I understand that you're angry with me and you have every right to be. I shouldn't have done what I did. I made a promise and I didn't keep it. But I promise that I will be keeping this one. I have to admit, I wanted to come today, to yell at you, to tell you that you were wrong but then I realized that you're not. You're right actually, about all of it. If the universe wanted us together, it wouldn't have screwed things up so badly. I do want to thank you for being there for me in the hospital and I'm sorry for showing up at the center. I probably scared you. But Henry really is adorable and amazing. He has your eyes, Emma. _

_I should probably apologize to Dr. Robbins for letting her deliver another letter but I don't think I could have done it myself, and I don't think Daniel would have been pleased. _

_Anyway, I could apologize for a million more things but that doesn't help us much further. It's a bit lame to do it like this but I honestly wish you the best too and I hope you find someone because you deserve it Emma. _

_Regina _

_P.S: I love you too_

* * *

EIGHT YEARS LATER

"Henry come on. You have to hurry up or we're going to be late again." The eleven year old boy groaned and poked in his foot, pulling a face.

"Not this again, not today." I say as I stand up from the table and take Henry's plate and place it in the sink. My son finally looks up at me and shoots me an angry look.

"I told you to hurry up." I tell him as he gets up and grabs his backpack, still cranky.

"Is Graham coming again soon?" My son asks me and I sigh deeply as I place both my hands on the counter. Henry is usually a really easy kid, but there are days where we're both cranky and we do nothing but argue the entire day.

"I told you, Graham isn't coming over again. We uh.. well he is not my boyfriend anymore." I say.

My son has his back to me so I couldn't see the upward curl of his lips. I was, however, surprised by his response.

"Is it because you're in love with Regina?" Henry says as he turns and looks at me with the same green eyes that I have. I'm pretty sure that comment made my jaw hit the floor and it takes me a moment to reply.

"I don't know what you know about Regina but this has nothing to do with her." I say confidently and then quickly guide him towards the door, trying to get him to school as fast as possible. This conversation is definitely one that I want to cut short and never bring up again.

I hadn't even realized that Henry knew that much about Regina and I. Sure I have talked about her because she is an important part of me; but I think I told him she was just an old friend. Or maybe Graham told Henry about Regina? That could have happened right? I shake the thought away for now and drop my son of at school before going to work.

* * *

Henry watched his mother leave in her yellow bug but instead of getting on the bus to school he walked further towards the next bus stop. He was going on a mission today: now that he was finally sure that things were over between Graham and Emma it was time for his mother to get her happy ending. He didn't know much about Emma and her history with Regina but he knew that Regina was her happy ending. It sounded almost like a fairytale..

So here he was, on his way to Storybrooke, Maine. It didn't take him long to find Regina, since she was a Mayor (he had learned that from Graham). He simply had to Google her name and the address popped up. He just hoped she was nice, and that she would give Emma a chance.

* * *

Regina is surprised by a knock on the door of her mansion. Normally she doesn't work today and not a lot of people would just casually visit the mayor of Storybrooke. She slowly walks towards the door and opens it.

"Can I help you?" She asks. She frowns when nobody is there.

A cough startles her and her gaze moves down.

"Hi." A little boy dressed in a school uniform says.

Regina's eyes meet his and something extremely familiar hits her. Those eyes, she's seen them before, but she certainly hasn't seen this kid before. His rambling voice pulls Regina out of her trance and she tries to focus on what he is saying.

"…so you really need to come home with me because she needs you and she can't be alone and Graham and-" The boy finally stops to take a breath. He seems so familiar but Regina can't quite place what it is.

He frowns and bites his lip and finally it hits her. The rambling, the frowning in a certain way, the lip biting and that familiar eye color. She feels the color drain from her cheeks as the brunette lowers herself to his level and takes his hands. "What's your name?" She asks, completely ignoring the rambling.

He just smiles at her. "Henry. Henry Swan."

"Emma." she can only murmur and he nods. The mayor pulls the door open a bit further and walks inside, silently gesturing for the boy to follow her.

Regina pours some juice into a glass and places it in front of Henry. She decides on taking some water for herself, maybe that will calm her down.

"Where is your husband?" Henry asks her and the brunette almost chokes on her water. How much does he know?

She takes some more sips before walking towards him and sitting down at the table too.

"Does your mother know you're here?" Regina asks him and he shakes his head.

"No."

The mayor immediately gets up and removes her phone from her pocket. "You need to tell me her number, she needs to know that you're here."

Henry smiles at the older woman. He is surprised by Regina. He had thought she would be more.. well he can't describe it he just thought she would be different.

"My ma finds people for a living, she'll be here in an hour." His innocent smile makes Regina feel slightly less stressed out over the fact that Emma will be here in an hour. She hasn't seen her in eight years… how will things be between them?

* * *

EMMA'S POV AGAIN

"Henry what did you do?" I murmur under my breath as I pull up to the white mansion at the end of the street. When his teacher called that Henry hadn't shown up at school I first searched for him in the area, in complete panic of course. Finally I went back to my apartment, maybe he was there, maybe he forgot something and came back to pick it up.

He wasn't there, but I found a map of Storybrooke and a photo of Regina under his bed. I figured things out pretty fast.

So here I was, in front of this big white house. I caught myself being nervous as I knocked on the door. It was pulled open faster than I would have liked and immediately it was like the past eight years never happened. Of course Regina looked different, much more grown and formal but the feelings, those stupid feelings, would they ever go away? It seemed like Regina was affected by it too, for once the utter shock helped me because for a second her guards were down and I could read her face and feel her eyes checking me out.

"Hey." I managed to say.

"Hello Miss Swan." Regina responded, obviously having caught herself again. "Come in, your son is in the living room."

I tried not to look at the house too much like it was a fucking castle but I have to admit, Regina really made it. As I walked towards the living room I could hear the quick footsteps and before I knew it my sons is in my arms.

"Henry!" I said as I pulled him tightly against me. We hug for quite some time before I finally pull back and lower myself to look at him.

I try to look as angry as possible. "You can't do that again, okay. It's dangerous." I shift my gaze to Regina but it seems like she agrees with me. "Besides, why did you come here?"

Henry looks from me to Regina and back to me, deciding what to say. "Because you love her and I wanted to help you."

Regina, who had dared to drink water again, choked once more and coughed loudly. She then pointed towards the bathroom. "I should uh.. I'll be right back."

I nodded and smiled at her, silently thanking her.

"Henry, I told you this morning, it's very sweet that you want me to be happy but I don't need anybody to be happy, and Regina has her own life. She's married." I say to my son.

Henry looks around at the room and shrugs. "I don't see him."

I open my mouth to respond but then I realize that he is right. Daniel isn't here. "Well he is probably just.. going to the supermarket, or working."

Regina comes back into the room and looks down on me. "He's not. We divorced five years ago."

I'm shocked again and I don't really know how to respond. "I'm .. I'm sorry. It uh.. it must have been awful." I stutter and Regina smiles sadly at me.

"Well it was me who decided it, but it was hard, yes." She says and she keeps staring at me while I stand up again, looking into her dark eyes.

"I'm going to watch some TV." Henry says awkwardly as he leaves us alone in the kitchen. Neither of us responds as we look at each other. I'm not sure where this is heading but I'm sure I should just take Henry and get out of here, but something stops me, the thought of it finally being the right time, the thought of us.

"And after him, after Daniel?" I ask quietly, trying to read her face again but she's not letting me.

"Nobody." The brunette responds and for a second I can see that it hurts her, that she's lonely.

She stays silent for a while and I give her some time.

"What about you, Emma? Did you find someone? Henry mentioned a Graham?" Regina seems somewhat embarrassed to ask me so I smile at her.

"Yeah Graham and I broke up a couple of weeks ago, but it was never really serious, I guess that something was always missing." I say as I drink some of her water, my mouth is suddenly so dry.

Regina opens her mouth to say something but Henry interrupts us. "Ma?"

I move a bit to the right and look at my son who is looking at something through the window. "I think your car is being towed." He looks at me a bit frightened but I can see that he is holding in his laughter.

"What?" I say as I move towards the window to stand next to him. Regina is quick to follow and she can't stop herself when she chuckles a bit as she notices her people taking my car. She places a hand on my shoulder and I turn around.

"Do something! You're the mayor!" I say, half upset, half trying not to laugh at the situation. I know it's not really funny but Henry and Regina sure made it look like it was.

"Sorry dear, I may be the mayor but it's against the law to park there. For everyone." I know that she's teasing me but when it comes to Regina and laws she's also very serious. From what I've learned from her in all those years, from when she was 11, was that she isn't going to break the law or help me out here.

"So…" I say as I place a hand on Henry's shoulder and look at Regina. "Is there like a hotel here?"

Regina turns and walks back to the kitchen. "You could.. if you'd like of course… also stay here with Henry.. I have two guestrooms.."

Henry almost starts jumping up and down so I don't really have a choice. "That would be great, thanks."

* * *

**Thanks for reading, don't forget to review! **


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